Yarn tensioning device for circular knitting machines and the like

ABSTRACT

Apparatus used with a circular knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder to yeildingly tension the starting end of a yarn knit upon the needles of the machine, the apparatus comprising, a first radially movable hook to engage the yarn extending between a few needles temporarily anchoring the yarn and yarn guide feeding the yarn at a first knitting station, means to withdraw the first hook and the yarn through a tube disposed adjacent the needle circle, a second hook to engage the withdrawn yarn and to present it to a winding reel to be clamped therein and to be wound thereon as the yarn is released from the anchoring needles, then, as the yarn is knit by the needles, the winding reel, which is driven through a slip clutch coupling, exerts yielding tension upon the starting end of the yarn by slippage of the clutch and which also winds up and unwinds the starting end of the yarn as knitting proceeds around the revolving circle of needles. Upon completion of a stage of the knitting, the starting end of the yarn is anchored in the fabric by knitting the same upon a few needles at a second knitting station of the machine afterwhich the yarn is severed.

ilnite States Patent 1191 Billi [54] YARN TENSIONING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES AND THE LIKE [75] Inventor: Giorgio Billi,Firenze,Italy I [73] Assignee: G. Billi & C. S.p.A., Firenze, Italy [22] Filed: Feb. 4, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 112,694

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 10, 1970 Italy .9359 A/7O [52] US. Cl. ..66/125 R, 66/140 R, 66/146 [51] Int. Cl. ..D04b 15/44 [58] Field of Search ..6 6/125 R, 146, 9 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STAT ES PATENTS Vittori et al. ..66/l46 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,596,310 7/1970 France ..66/l25 R 2,006,394 12/1969 France ....66/l87 6/1945 Great Britain ..66/l33 [451 May 29, 1973 6/1968 Italy ..66/1 87 2/1969 Italy ..66/ l 87 [5 7 ABSTRACT Apparatus used with a circular knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder to yeildingly tension the starting end of a yarn knit upon the needles of the machine, the apparatus comprising, a first radially movable hook to engage the yarn extending between a few needles temporarily anchoring the yarn and yarn guide feeding the yarn at a first knitting station, means to withdraw the first hook and the yarn through a tube disposed adjacent the needle circle, a second hook to engage the withdrawn yarn and to present it to a winding reel to be clamped therein and to be wound thereon as the yarn is released from the anchoring needles, then, as the yarn is knit by the needles, the

winding reel, which is driven through a slip clutch coupling, exerts yielding tension upon the starting end of the yarn by slippage of the clutch and which also winds up and unwinds the starting end of the yarn as knitting proceeds around the revolving circle of needles. Upon completion of a stage of the knitting, the starting end of the yarn is anchored in the fabric by knitting the same upon a few needles at a second knitting station of the machine afterwhich the yarn is severed.

9 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures P E I 1 1 1291973 735, 08

SHEET 1 [IF 6 r V 1 ($5 1 g) -w INVENTOR GIORGIQ BILL! BY Jam ATTOR NEY PATENIE mm 1975 735 6 O 8 sum 2 or a INVE NTOR GIORGIO BILLI JLQM HTTO RN E Y PATENImmm 191s SHEET 3 [IF 6 IN ENTQR B GIORGIO Bl 1.1.l I Y ATTORNEY PATENTEL H3129 I973 SHEET 0F 6 INVENTOR B GKJRGIQ BILLI ATTORNEY PATENTEDHAYZS 197s SHEET 5 0F 6 INVENTOR GIORGIO BILLI BY Jiugwmr ATTORNEY PATENIEDMAYZS 197s SHEET 6 [IF 6 INVENTOR GIORGIO BILL! 'BY i 72 Q ATTORNEY YAlRN TENSIONING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES AND THE LIKE THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the art of knitting and more particularly to the foot portion of circularly knit hosiery or the like, which is provided with a closed end portion made during rotary knitting upon a circular knitting machine, and to the means for making the same.

The present invention is an improvement upon the invention set forth in United States Patent Application of Franco Gariboldi, Ser. No. 851,265 filed Aug. 19, 1969, now abandoned. The subject matter of said application is also set forth in Italian Pat. No. 848,078.

As set forth in US. Pat. No. RE. 26,580, hosiery having a closed toe made by rotary knitting during the formation thereof has heretofore been produced. Such closed toe hosiery is made upon a circular knitting machine which must be equipped with a welt transfer dial in order to make the two ply turned welt of which the closed toe is formed. Such closed toe is made of two plys of unshaped tubular fabric which are relatively twisted, prior to the closure of the welt, to constrict the fabric to form the toe closure which is never really closed and which is relatively bulky due to the two plys and to the presence of the twisted fabric at the end of the toe. Other hosiery having a closed toe made by rotary knitting during the formation thereof has also been heretofore produced as set forth in the application of 1 Arrigo Micheletti, U.S. Ser. No. 764,835, filed Oct. 3, l968, which application is assigned to the Assignee of the present application, and as set forth in Italian Pat. No. 8l4,l64. Such other hosiery differs from that disclosed in the US. Pat. No. RE. 26,580 in that the two ply welt is constricted by turns of yarn wound around the fabric of the interior of the welt at its foldline.

Still other hosiery having a closed toe made by rotary knitting on a circular knitting machine has also been heretofore produced, as set forth in said Italian Pat. No. 848,078 and in said Franco Gariboldi Patnet Application. In the latter hosiery, the closed toe is made of a circularly shaped area of single ply plain knit fabric comprising a plurality of spiral courses of progressively increasing diameters of which the first formed and smallest diameter course is a starting selvage course. The circular shaped area of single ply plain knit fabric is made by rotary knitting upon the circle of needles of a circular knitting machine by holding the starting end of the yarn being used, knitting a selvage course of the yarn upon relatively widely spaced needles of the circle of needles, knitting a plurality of following courses of the yarn upon progressively increasing numbers of less widely spaced needles of the circle of needles until all of the needles are so used and, at the same time, during all of the aforesaid knitting, exerting yieldable tension upon the starting end of the yarn during the formation of the aforesaid courses, thereby diametrically to constrict the same, the constructed courses progressively increasing in size and in number of wales to provide the circularly shaped area of single ply plain knit fabric. The said Gariboldi application provides a first apparatus to hold the starting end of the yarn and to exert a yieldable tension thereon, including means to transfer the starting end of the yarn from a first clamp inside the circle of needles to a second clamp outside the needle circle.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a second apparatus to take hold of the starting end of the yarn being used and to exert yielding tension thereon during the knitting of the closed toe portion of the hosiery, the apparatus permitting the so-called and so-tensioned yarn to move back and forth as the knitting proceeds around the needle circle of the machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above set forth type of second apparatus which can be used on a circular hosiery machine having a welt dial thereon and wherein a hook is moved between the cylinder and dial to engage the yarn extending from the yarn guide to a few needles temporarily anchoring the end of the yarn, and wherein the hook thereafter withdraws the yarn in doubled condition through a guide tube to be engaged by and wound around a winding reel which is driven through a slip clutch arrangement.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present yam-holding and tensioning apparatus shown in the accomapnying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the stitch structure of the circularly shaped area of single ply plain knit fabric used to close the end of a circularly knit tube, and the winding reel of the present invention which acts to tension the starting end of the yarn and permits back and forth movement of the held yarn as the knitting proceeds.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the apparatus of the present invention in position upon the sinker ring of a ladies hosiery machine of the type having a welt dial above the needle cylinder, with the yarn hook of the apparatus in yarn-engaging position between the dial and the cylinder.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line III III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view, partly broken away, of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 with the yarn hook in position to engage the yarn extending from the guide feeding the yarn to a few needles temporarily anchoring the end of the yarn.

FIG. 5 is a plan view, similar to, and on a larger scale than, FIG. 4, showing the yarn hook in withdrawn position as it presents the yarn to the winding reel of the apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line VI VI of FIG. 2, showing the slip clutch drive for the yarn winding reel.

FIGS. 7 through 16, are schematic views showing the operation of the present apparatus.

FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing the relative arrangement of parts of the machine and of the present apparatus at the start of the formation of the circularly shaped area of single ply plain knit fabric, and

FIG. 18 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 17, showing the relative arrangement of parts of the machine and of the present apparatus at the end of the formation of the circularly shaped area of single ply plain knit fabric.

The method of forming the circularly shaped area of single ply plain knit fabric for the closure of a circularly knit tube is shown schematically in FIG. 11 as made upon a circle of latch needles 1, and is described in detail in said Gariboldi Patent Application and in said ltalian Pat. No. 848,078. On 12 equally spaced needles of the 48 needles shown, by way of example only as to the number of needles which may be used, the yarn, indicated at 3 as being fed by a yarn guide 19, is first knit to form a starting selvage course indicated generally at 5A while tension is exerted upon the starting end of the yarn, indicated at 5, in the direction of the arrow f1. Several courses, here shown as three, are made following the selvage course 5A. The yarn 5 extends through the first formed loops 7 and, as tension is exerted upon the yarn 5, by winding reel 59 of the present apparatus, the yarn is caused to slide through the successive stitches and to bring the wales closer together. Thereafter, for the next several courses, an additional twelve equally spaced needles are brought into action and knitting takes place on 24 of the needles during which time the tensioned yarn 5 continues to draw the wales closer together. Then, for the next several courses, the remaining 24 equally spaced needles are brought into action and knitting takes place on the 48 needles of the machine during which the tensioned yarn end portion 5 still causes the wales to move closer together. It will be noted, that as the stitches 7 move around with the rotating circle of needles, the distance between the stitches 7 and the winding reel 59 repeatedly increases and decreases. Accordingly, the yarn 5, which extends from stitches 7 through a guide tube 51 to the winding reel 59, must be allowed to increase and to decrease in length while still exerting tension upon the courses of knitting to bring the wales closer together. The apparatus of the present invention provides for the required functioning of the yarn 5 during the formation of the circularly shaped area of plain knit fabric.

As shown in FIG. 2, the needle cylinder, indicated at 11, is provided with a circle of vertically slidable needles 13 designed to co-operate with a circle of sinkers l5 radially movable in a sinker ring 17 secured to and surrounding the upper end of the cylinder. A welt dial is disposed above the needle cylinder 11. A stirrup support 21 is secured to the sinker ring by one or more screws 21A extending through suitable apertures in support 21 and into threaded engagement with the sinker ring. The apparatus of the present invention is mounted upon the support 21 and is provided with a base of which is depending rib 25A is apertured for a horizontally extending clamping bolt 23 to extend therethrough and into threaded engagement with the support 21. The apparatus may be pivotally adjusted about the bolt 23 to provide the proper angle therefor relative to the needle cylinder, such adjustment being aided by lock nut adjusting screw 24 in contact with an extension of support 21, FIG. 3.

The upper side of base 25 is provided with a longitudinally extending keyway 27 of near circular cross section in which a slide 29 is retained for movement toward and away from the needle cylinder. The movements of slide 29 are controlled by a flexible cable 31 disposed in covering 33 and having its end 31A extending thrugh and fixed in the slide 29. The covering 33 has an end portion 33A disposed in the slide 29 with a compression spring 338 disposed between the head of 33A and the slide 29. A compression spring 35 between slide 29 and base 25 urges the former to its rearward position. The forward position of slide 29 is determined by the stop pin 37 extending from the forward end of the slide, when the stop pin 37 comes into contact with the base 25, FIG. 2.

The slide 29 has a block 39 adjustably secured thereon and movable therewith radially of the needle cylinder. The block 39 has a pair of spaced projections 39A and 39B extending upwardly therefrom. The pro- 5 jection 39A is apertured to receive and to support a radially extending air cylinder 41 from which a piston stem 43 extends toward the needle cylinder. A yarn engaging hook 45 is formed at the end of stem 43. The projection 39B is apertured to permit the stem 43 to pass therethrough and is also apertured to receive and to support therein a pair of forwardly extending sideby-side rods 47, 47. These rods extend parallel to the stem 43 and support a cross bracket 49 at their free ends, the bracket in turn supporting a funnel-shaped tube 51 in such position that the hook 45 and stem 43 may extend therethrough when the stem 43 is fully projected by the piston within the cylinder 41.

With the proper angular adjustment of the base 25 about clamping bolt 23 and with the proper length of stop pin 37 to determine the forward position of slide 29 and block 39, the apparatus, in its forward position, as determined by the stop pin 37, will position its hook 45 to extend radially in a downward direction to extend above and inside the needle circle and below the welt dial. The hook 45, in such position, will engage yarn span 5B as shown in FIG. 4 in a manner to be described. Also, by suitable pattern drum control of cable 31, 33, the spring 35 will move the slide 29 and the parts supported thereon, radially outwardly from its position of FIG. 4 to a position in which the guide tube 51 is further removed from the needle circle, as in FIG. 16, for a purpose to be set forth.

Coming now to the means to yieldingly tension the yarn, the shaft of a gear 55 is rotatably journalled in a bearing 53 set in base 25, the gear being rotated by means ofa flexible shaft 57 which is turned by any suitable means. Also supported by base 25, adjacent gear 55, is a winding reel, generally indicated at 59, and which is rotated by the gear 55. The winding reel includes a hollow sleeve 61 also set in base 25 with its axis parallel to the axis of gear 55. As seen in FIG. 6, a hollow hub 63 of a gear 65 is rotatably journalled upon the sleeve 61 with the gear 65 in mesh with the gear 55. A ring 69 surrounds the upper end of hub 63 and is secured thereto by a suitable key or coupling 67, the ring 69 providing seats for several upwardly extending compression springs 71 of a slip clutch friction coupling. Rotatably journalled inside the upper end of sleeve 61 is a depending tubular hub 73 of a disc 75 which supports a series of equally spaced pins 77 (four in the present embodiment) extending upwardly from the disc 75, the pins 77 acting as a yarn winding reel.

A disc 79, slightly smaller in diameter than disc 75, is rotatably coupled to disc 75 by the pins 77 each of which extends upwardly through an appropriate aperture in disc 79. Disc 79 is provided with a central depending stem 81 which extends downwardly inside hub 73 of disc 75. A small compression spring 83 encircles stem 81 in contact with a collar 81A at the end of stem 81 and with disc 75 thereby to urge disc 79 into contact with disc 75 so that a yarn may be clamped between the near surfaces of these two discs. The interior of the lower end of sleeve 61 forms a cylinder within which a piston 85 therein is operated by compressed air entering the sleeve 61 through a tube 87 at the lower end of the sleeve. The upward movement of piston 85 is limited by contact with a stop ring 89 set in the interior wall of sleeve 61. Air, under suitable control, raises piston 85 which in turn engages and raises stem 81 against the action of spring 83 to raise disc 79 from its full line to its dotted line position of FIG. 6, the collar 81A on stem 81 being. guided within the interior of hub 73.

The disc 75 is driven by a slip clutch friction coupling to wind the yarn about its pins 77. The clutch includes the springs 71 which press against the underside of an annular plate 91, rotatably coupled to the ring 69, to urge the plate 91 against the underside of the lower one of a set of three friction rings 93. The middle one of these rings is rotataby coupled to disc 75 in slots 75A thereof while the other two rings are rotatably coupled to hub 63 in slots 63A thereof. A stop ring 95 set in the outer wall of hub 63 at the upper end thereof serves to prevent upward movement of the rings 93. Should the torque load on the reel of pins 77 be beyond a preselected amount (which is adjustable), as the yarn is being wound thereon, the friction rings 93 will slip relative to each other and the winding action of the reel will cease, and, if there should be a sufficient increase of tension or drag upon the yarn, there will be a temporary unwinding of the yarn from the reel until the tension returns to normal.

Compressed air acting on piston 85 will raise disc 79 above disc 75 so that a yarn, such as 5, moving in the direction of arrow f5 inFIG. 6, may enter between the spaced discs 75 and 79. Thereafter, with the compressed air turned off, spring 83 brings disc 79 into contact with disc 75 with the yarn 5 clamped therebetween. The continued rotation of the pins 77 then causes the yarn to be wound around them with the result that the yarn is yieldingly tensioned with a stress depending upon the maximum amount of torque capable of being transmitted by the friction rings 93. Accordingly, the yarn may be wound upon and may, at times, be unwound from the winding reel depending upon the varying amount of stress in the yarn in relation to the setting of the slip clutch. It may be noted that the turns of yarn accumulated upon the pins 77 above the lowered disc 79 may be discharged from the pins by a subsequent raising of disc 79 in the cycle of operations of the machine.

Once the hook 45 has engaged yarn 5B, FIG. 4, it is desirable that the hook be withdrawn to its position of FIG. 5 so that the yarn caught in the hook may be presented to, and be clamped between, the discs 75 and 79, preparatory to being wound upon the pins 77. To this end, a hub 103A of a curved arm 103 is rotatably journalled upon a vertically extending pin shaft 101 set in block 39, the arm being capable of movement about pin 101 in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of winding reel 59. The arm 103 is normally held in its non-operative position of FIG. 4 by a suitable spring (not shown), and is turned to its position of FIG. 5 by the action of an upstanding pin 107 set in the forward end of stem 43. When stem 43 is withdrawn into cylinder 41, FIG. 5, the pin 107 engages and turns an arm 103B projecting from hub 103A thereby to turn the arm 103 to its position of FIG. 5. The arm 103 is provided at its outer end with a hook 105 which, when the arm is turned from its position of FIG. 4 to that of FIG. 5, crosses the path of travel of hook 45 and of the yarn caught therein as the latter hook is withdrawn to its position of FIG. 5. Thus hook 105 engages the yarn being withdrawn by hook 45 and moves it laterally so that the span of yarn extending between the two hooks is moved toward and between the now spaced discs and 79 which thereupon close and clamp the yarn therebetween. The stem 43 may now be moved forward a short distance to permit the arm 103 to withdraw hook 105 from contact with the yarn and rotation of the reel 59 will withdraw the yarn from hook 43.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention in the formation of the fabric of FIG. 1 will be set forth in connection with FIGS. 7 through 18, which schematically show pertinent portions of the apparatus in relation to the needle circle during the knitting. The apparatus is disposed so that tube 51 is in innermsot position between a pair of adjacent knitting stations, being ahead of (in the direction of needle travel), the knitting station at which yarn fingers 19 are located. Starting with bare needles only, a small group, in this case three, of needles 109 are raised to follow needle path T19 at the knitting station of yarn fingers 19. The needles following needles 109 remain at welt level at this time. Needles 109 take yarn 5 and are then lowered to welt level to anchor the yarn and these needles remain at welt level until it is time to release the yarn 5. As needles 109 move around there is a span of yarn 5B formed between them and finger 19, FIG. 7. At this time the hook 45 is moved to its innermost position through tube 51 until the hook is above and inside the needle circle, FIG. 8, so that as needles 109 move past the hook the yarn span 5B is engaged by the hook 45. Hook 45 is then moved to its outermost position and in doing so, the yarn is drawn by the hook in doubled condition as at 5C, FIG. 9, through tube 51. The yarn drawn by hook 45 comes from the cone supply thereof through finger 19. A yarn span 5E extends between tube 51 and finger l9, and, as the needles continue to a yarn span 5D extends between tube 51 and needles 109, FIGS. 10 and 17. At this time disc 79 of reel 59 is in raised position that when pin 107 of stem 43 turns arm 103, its hook 105 engages and laterally moves the doubled yarn span, now indicated at SF, between the discs 75 and 79, FIG. 11. Disc 79 is then lowered to clamp the yarn between discs 75 and 79 and the winding of the yarn upon pins 77 starts, the yarn still being drawn from its cone supply through finger 19. As the yarn is wound around pins 77 it is withdrawn from hook 45, FIG. 12. At this time, the needles 109 have advanced around the machine to increase the length of yarn span 5D, FIG. 12, and they are now raised to release the anchored end of yarn span 5D which then passes through tube 51 and is wound up on reel 59. In this manner the conditions of FIG. 13 are achieved wherein the yarn extends through finger 19 as yarn span 5E which extends through tube 51 as yarn span 5F which is being wound up on reel 59. The yarn span 5B is tensioned by the winding action of reel 59 thereon. At this time selected needles, of which needle 209 is the first, are caused to rise and follow knitting path T19 to take the yarn from finger 19. The selected needles are relatively widely spaced, of which some are indicated at N, and they take the yarn to be used in making the selvage course, the yarn extending as chords of the circle between the spaced needles N. The first anchoring point of the yarn in the fabric, FIG. 1, is at 7 as made upon needle 209, and, as the cylinder rotates, the needle 209 successively reaches points 7A, 7b, and 7C during the first revolution of the cylinder after needle 209 has taken the yarn. It will be noted that the distance between points 7A, 7B and 7C (and each circular position of needle 209), the tube 51, varies constantly. It will also be understood that as successive courses of the fabric of FIG. 1 are being made, the distance between point 7 and tube 51 will continue to vary. The yarn 5 remains tensioned during the knitting of the fabric by reason of clutch slippage as the reel 59 rotates, and, as point 7 move closer to and further away from tube 51, the reel 59 will accordingly wind up and unwind the yarn. Knitting will continue in the manner set forth in the Gariboldi Application until the fabric of FIG. 1 is complete.

When the fabric of FIG. 1 has been completed at the knitting station of finger 19, then normal rotaty knitting is about to continue on all of the needles at this knitting station. At this time tension upon yarn 5 is no longer required and provision is made to anchor yarn span 5H extending between selvage course 5A and tube 51, FIG. 15. To this end, tube 51 is withdrawn to its position of FIGS. 15, 16, and 18, (spring 35) so it will not interfere with the needles about to be moved along needle path T219 at adjacent knitting station of yarn fingers 219, which station has been idle during the knitting of the fabric of FIG. 1. Then a small group of needles 210 only, three in this case, (which may be the needles previously indicated at 109), are selected to follow needle path T219 and these needles in so doing, engage and knit the yarn of yarn span 511 which extends across the needle circle from course 5A to tube 51.

The condition is now as shown in FIG. 16 wherein a yarn span 5L extends between selvage course 5A and the stitches formed on needles 210 to which the end of the yarn span SL is anchored. At the same time a yarn span 5M extends between the anchoring stitches on needles 210 and the rearwardly positioned tube 51. As the needles 210 move, the yarn span 5M extends across and is raised by a depending hook 219A attached to a yarn finger 219 when the finger 219 is appropriately raised from its position of FIG. 17 to its position of FIG. 18. The portion SN of yarn span SM is thus brought into contact with a conventional serrated ring and cutter 220 which severs the yarn in customary manner. It will be noted that in the wales formed by needles 210, there are extra stitches of yarn formed at the knitting station of finger 219 between preceding and following stitches of yarn formed at the knitting station of finger 19 to anchor the end of the yarn extending from course 5A of the fabric. Knitting continues at the knitting station of finger 19 and upon such other knitting stations as may thereafter be activated.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for use with a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder, a circle of needles in said cylinder, a yarn finger to feed yarn to said needles, said needles being operative to knit a fabric of circular courses of said yarn by rotary knitting with the starting end portion of said yarn extending from the first stitches of the first of said courses, said apparatus including a rotatable winding reel adjacent said needle cylinder upon which said starting portion of said yarn is wound, a slip clutch coupling operatively connected to said reel, and means to rotate said winding reel under the control of said coupling to exert yielding tension upon the span of yarn of said starting end portion of said yarn extending between said winding reel and said first stitches.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said span of yarn is wound up upon and is unwound from said winding reel during each course of said rotary knitting.

3. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said starting end portion of said yarn is temporarily anchored by and extends as a float of yarn from a number of needles of siad circle of needles to said yarn finger, wherein a yarn guide tube is disposed adjacent said circle of needles, and wherein said apparatus includes means to engage said float of yarn and to withdraw the same through said tube and into operative relation with said winding reel.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said means to engage said span of yarn comprises a pair of hooks of which the first thereof engages and withdraws said span of yarn through said tube radially of said needle cylinder, and the other of said hooks engages said withdrawn yarn and moves the same laterally into operative relation with said winding reel.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said winding reel is provided with a yarn clamp and wherein said yarn is positioned in said clamp by said otherhook.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said winding reel includes a rotatable driving disc having a plurality of spaced pins extending from one side thereof, and a driven disc rotarily coupled to said driving disc by said pins extending through said driven disc, wherein said discs provide said yarn clamp therebetween, and wherein said yarn is wound about siad pins.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said driven disc is movable toward and away from said driving disc, and wherein movement of said driven disc away from said driving disc acts to discharge said wound yarn from said pins.

8. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said span of yarn is knit upon a number of needles of said circle of needles upon the completion of said fabric.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said machine is provided with a pair of knitting stations, wherein said yarn finger is located at one of said knitting stations, and wherein said span of yarn is knit upon said number of needles at the other of said knitting stations.

* III 

1. Apparatus for use with a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder, a circle of needles in said cylinder, a yarn finger to feed yarn to said needles, said needles being operative to knit a fabric of circular courses of said yarn by rotary knitting with the starting end portion of said yarn extending from the first stitches of the first of said courses, said apparatus including a rotatable winding reel adjacent said needle cylinder upon which said starting portion of said yarn is wound, a slip clutch coupling operatively connected to said reel, and means to rotate said winding reel under the control of said coupling to exert yielding tension upon the span of yarn of said starting end portion of said yarn extending between said winding reel and said first stitches.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said span of yarn is wound up upon and is unwound from said winding reel during each course of said rotary knitting.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said starting end portion of said yarn is temporarily anchored by and extends as a float of yarn from a number of needles of said circle of needles to said yarn finger, wherein a yarn guide tube is disposed adjacent said circle of needles, and wherein said apparatus includes means to engage said float of yarn and to withdraw the same through said tube and into operative relation with said winding reel.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said means to engage said span of yarn comprises a pair of hooks of which the first thereof engages and withdraws said span of yarn through said tube radially of said needle cylinder, and the other of said hooks engages said withdrawn yarn and moves the same laterally into operative relation with said winding reel.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said winding reel is provided with a yarn clamp and wherein said yarn is positioned in said clamp by said other hook.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said winding reel includes a rotatable driving disc having a plurality of spaced pins extending from one side thereof, and a driven disc rotarily coupled to said driving disc by said pins extending through said driven disc, wherein said discs provide said yarn clamp therebetween, and wherein said yarn is wound about said pins.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said driven disc is movable toward and away from said driving disc, and wherein movement of said driven disc away from said driving disc acts to discharge said wound yarn from said pins.
 8. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said span of yarn is knit upon a number of needles of said circle of needles upon the completion of said fabric.
 9. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said machine is provided with a pair of knitting stations, wherein said yarn finger is located at one of said knitting stations, and wherein said span of yarn is knit upon said number of needles at the other of said knitting stations. 